Black Tap Anaheim is “coming soon” to a spot on the 50 yard mark of Downtown Disneys promenade. Seen here, three of its signature CrazyShakes topped with cookies, cotton candy and other goodies. (Courtesy of Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer)

What could be more Downtown Disney than an ultimate burgers and shakes restaurant? Black Tap Anaheim is “coming soon” this spring to a spot downstairs adjacent to Ballast Point Brewery & Kitchen on the 50-yard line of the promenade, says founder Chris Barish. He started Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer as a 15-seat boite […]

Chris Barish, co-owner of Black Tap, at Black Tap Burgers & Beer in New York City. (Courtesy of Black Tap)

What could be more Downtown Disney than an ultimate burgers and shakes restaurant? Black Tap Anaheim is “coming soon” this spring to a spot downstairs adjacent to Ballast Point Brewery & Kitchen on the 50-yard line of the promenade, says founder Chris Barish.

He started Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer as a 15-seat boite in Manhattan’s SoHo and has expanded it into an international string of restaurants, he said in a telephone interview. “We have three in New York with one more opening very soon in Herald Square and one at the Venetian in Las Vegas, we are in Europe in Geneva, we have some in the Middle East and I just got back from the one in Singapore,” he said.

The restaurant is best known for its photogenic CrazyShakes topped with whole cookies, cotton candy, cake slices and other goodies. “We had a 15-seat counter top restaurant in New York so guests could see everything going on and one day the team started playing with different flavors and toppings and did a cotton candy shake. People started taking pictures and it went viral on Instagram.”

Downtown Disney will have an exclusive item: The Strawberry Shortcake CrazyShake is in development and will be revealed soon.

There will be eight other CrazyShakes on the menu as well as classic versions with no add-ons for shake purists. The restaurant also serves wings, burgers, cocktails, craft beers and more. Pricing will be similar to other locations that list CrazyShakes at $15, regular shakes at $9 and burgers from $16-$20.

Service at this location will be a little different. “We call it enhanced fast casual so people can order at the counter and then seat themselves and then the food, drinks and CrazyShakes are delivered to the table,” Barish said.

There will also be two other features exclusive to Downtown Disney: a to-go shakes window and a bar where diners can watch as their CrazyShakes “come to life.”

The restaurant will be in keeping with Black Tap’s signature vibe that includes street art on the walls and a musical soundtrack of ’80s pop and ’90s hip-hop — don’t worry moms and dads, there’ll be no songs with explicit language.

The 5,900-square-foot space will have seating for 125 inside and 60 on the patio. It’s a complete renovation of what used to be a Build-A-Bear Workshop. “We have an architect designer partner who also happens to be my wife, Julie Mulligan,” Barish said. “She has been instrumental in all the Black Taps, both as a trained architect and designer.”

For Barish, who has spent much of his career in Vegas opening clubs and restaurants from 1999 to the mid-2000s, it’s a bit of a return to his youth.

“I spent a bunch of my childhood in Los Angeles and a lot of time in Disneyland,” he said. “I think the only person who is more excited than me is my 10 1/2-year-old daughter. She keeps saying, “When’s my opening?”

Anne Valdespino never intended to be an editor. She’s just another writer who took a wrong turn. Nevertheless, she has happily spent the last few years editing features in food, travel, Home and Garden and OCHOME magazine. A former editor at the Los Angeles Times and Orange Coast magazine, Anne started out as an entertainment reporter at The Orange County Register and recently returned to writing. She has come full circle, covering food and other lifestyle topics, and is back where she belongs.